State Capitol, Hartford: Family members of those murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School came to the State Capitol to deliver a letter encouraging gun control legislation. Left to right: Jackie and Mark Barden, parents of Daniel, Nelba Marquez-Greene, mother of Ana, William Sherlach, husband of the school's psychologist Mary, and Nicole Hockley, mother of Dylan. Mara Lavitt/New Haven Register4/1/13

State Capitol, Hartford: Family members of those murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School came to the State Capitol to deliver a letter encouraging gun control legislation. School psychologist Mary Sherlach's husband William speaks as Jackie and Mark Barden, parents of Daniel, listen. Mara Lavitt/New Haven Register4/1/13

HARTFORD -- Lawmakers, in a comprehensive bipartisan bill, are expected to adopt a ban on the sale of high capacity gun magazines over 10 rounds, but current owners would be allowed to keep them under strict rules as to where they can be stored and used.

In a first-in-the-nation proposal, gun owners would have to register the current magazines they own over 10 rounds by Jan. 1, 2014 with the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection in order for them to remain legal. They can be kept in their homes and used at shooting ranges. When they are transported, they can never have more than 10 rounds.

It is part of a far-reaching gun control law that legislators say will be the toughest in the country with a universal background check for all firearms and expansion of the current assault weapons ban by more than 100 weapons, up from the current 66. It will be voted on Wednesday.

Advertisement

It is in response to the slaying of 20 children and six educators by Adam Lanza, 20, at the Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14 with an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle.

State Sen. President Pro Temp Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, said "these will be some of the strongest laws on high capacity magazines in the United States of America," particularly on the need for registration and imposition of a Class C felony for possessing new magazines over 10 rounds.

He said "first and foremost turning off the spigot is critical. You have got to draw the line and say from this point forward all sales are prohibited and we have done that."

Other states however have passed full bans on possession of large-capacity magazines.

New York just banned possession of magazines with more seven rounds, although that may be modified to 10 rounds. New Jersey bans possession of magazines with more than 15 rounds; Hawaii bans possession of magazines with more than 10 bullets, but only for handguns. Washington, D.C. bans possession of any magazine over 10 rounds and California is considering a bill this year to ban possession.

Support from a majority of Democrats was expected, but state Sen. Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, said support from his caucus was "substantial" with about half of Republican senators buying into the deal.

Much was made of the bipartisan aspect although it took longer than expected. Williams said "in Connecticut we've broken the mold ... on one of the most divisive issues in the United States and we came to agreement ... That is a message that should resound in 49 other states and in Washington, D.C."

The bill also amends the Earned Risk Reduction Program to ensure violent felons, including those who committed crimes with firearms, serve at least 85 percent of their original sentences. The program has been highly criticized by Republicans.

Michael Lawlor, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's liaison on criminal matters, said no violent criminals have been released sooner than the 85 percent benchmark, The new language was suggested by the administration to clarify the issue, he said.

Advocates for new gun controls in light of the Sandy Hook slayings were adamant that Connecticut lawmakers ban possession of large magazines as the most dangerous component of assault weapons.

State Sen. Minority Leader John McKinney, R-Fairfield, was asked if the compromise would be accepted by the advocates.

"There is nothing that will comfort them in their pain, but I think that they understand that upon passage we will have the most comprehensive gun laws in the country," McKinney said. He said those who worked on it are "long past" arguing on what they wanted personally in the bill.

Ron Pinciaro, president of CT Against Gun Violence, which led the fight for tighter firearms legislation, said the bill was not everything they wanted, "but I think it is a very good package - probably the best that have has been presented at one time across the country. They did the best they probably could."

Neil Heslin, father of Jesse Lewis, one of the first-graders killed by Lanza, wanted to read the material first before commenting extensively, but he questioned how registering magazines without serial numbers will be effective.

There was concern an all-out ban on large magazines would encourage a black market that would negatively impact cities, according to some sources.

Legislators, when they vote Wednesday, will entertain amendments, but the six leaders said they will not vote for them and they do not expect additional firearms legislation to be introduced this session.

Possession of magazines outside the new rules would be subject to prosecution with the ban on purchase of assault weapons on the expanded list and high capacity magazines effective as soon as the bill is signed by Malloy.

The deal would also include another first: Establishment of a dangerous offender registry that would apply to those convicted of certain firearms offenses involving use or threatened use of a deadly weapon. They would be required to register with DESPP for a period of five years after their release from prison. The list would be available only to law enforcement personnel.

In urban centers, it is usually these criminals who continue to be involved in future gun crimes, according to law enforcement

It is something that has been sought by state Sen. Majority Leader Martin Looney, D-New Haven, to help reduce crime. "This bill demonstrates what people of good will of different parties can do when working together," Looney said.

Looney also pointed out most of items identified in a Democratic package that came out of a bipartisan task force on gun violence prevention are now part of the bill.

The comprehensive bill would establish the need for an eligibility certificate to purchase any long gun, as of April 2014. To purchase ammunition, you would need either a pistol permit or an eligibility certificate as of October 2013. In both cases, you would be subject to a background check.

The proposal also significantly expands safe storage rules. Such storage is now required in households with persons younger than 16. This bill demands this in homes where there is a resident legally barred from owning firearms or where a person poses a risk of injury to himself or others.

Penalties are also added for those engaged in gun trafficking or straw purchases; and a mental health professional and a retired judge would be added to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners.

The bill would extend to five years, from the current one-year wait, the time to get a gun permit or eligibility certificate for those involuntarily committed to a psychiatric facility. For the first time, it also addresses those who voluntarily commit themselves, making them wait six months after leaving a facility to purchase a firearm.

Lawmakers said the bill would also establish the offense of illegal possession of ammunition; require applicants for a temporary permit to carry a pistol or revolver to apply in town of their residence and imposes a new age limit for the purchase of center fire semi-automatic rifles to 21 as opposed to the federal age limit of 18.

Connecticut Citizens Defense League President Scott Wilson was critical of the proposals.

"The actions of legislators and those that will sacrifice liberty for false protections will be a dark page of a very dark chapter in our states' history. The fact that there has been no hearing is extremely troublesome to many," Wilson said.

He said the CCDL is appealing to legislators "to use logic and reasoning by addressing mental health, and better school security and holding proper public hearings on any language put forth."

There have been multiple hearings on general concepts and one on a proposed bill that died in committee. Looney estimated that the General Assembly spent 62 hours listening to the public. An emergency certified bill does not require a hearing.

On mental health, they recommend a mental health training program that teaches people how to recognize signs of mental disorder in children and young adults and connect them with services. Lanza was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome.

The bill also creates a task force to conduct a comprehensive study of the state's mental health system, which has been lacking, according to testimony. It also requires the Insurance Department to evaluate and report on its method for determining compliance with mental health parity laws.

On school safety, it would set up standards for infrastructure standards for school systems to use.

All four caucuses met Monday to go over the details of the gun bill that the leadership has been negotiating for weeks.

Earlier on Monday, family members of the Sandy Hook Elementary School said 11 children were able to escape the shooting rampage by Lanza in one of the classrooms he entered as a large group of them came to Hartford to lobby lawmakers to ban possession of large clips.

The parents, a spouse and some children of the 20 first-graders and six adults gunned down by Lanza with a AR-15 semiautomatic rifleon Dec. 14 made the case again that not banning possession leaves a "gapping hole" in the proposed legislation.

Previously it was believed that six children escaped as Lanza either changed magazines or his firearm jammed allowing the first-graders to get out of the school in one of the two classrooms Lanza stalked out.

"The more times you have to reload the more opportunities there are to escape and to stop the shooting," said Mark Barden, father to victim Daniel Barden, who teared up at a press conference at the Capitol. "In the amount of time - it was somewhere around four minutes - he was able to fire 154 rounds. I think that speaks volumes about reducing the size (of magazines.")

Barden and his wife, Jackie Barden, said it was their understanding that the youngsters who got out did so when Lanza changed clips. Tim Makris, who represents Sandy Hook Promise, said they learned about the 11 children "from reports" not from investigators directly.

Lanza carried 10 30-round magazines into the school and fired off more than half in the short amount of time it took him to kill 26 people. In addition, he carried in two pistols, while leaving a shotgun and more ammunition in the Honda he drove to the school that morning.

His home, according to recently released search warrants, held an arsenal of ammunition, guns and knives. He left the smaller, 10-round magazines back at the house.

Nicole Hockley, mother of first-grader Dylan Hockley, said it was "extraordinarily difficult" to come out and keep talking about the tragedy, but the parents feel they owe this to their children.

A letter signed by 24 family members of 11 of victims on the banning of the sale and possession of large clips with no grandfathering clause was expected to be handed out to lawmakers as they showed up for their respective caucuses early this afternoon.

"... we learned the way, that no other parent should learn that the most dangerous part of the assault weapon is the magazine. ... We ask ourselves every day, every minute, if those magazines had held 10 rounds, forcing the shooter to reload at least six more times would our children be alive today?" Hockley asked.

She appealed to the lawmakers to "have the courage to stand up for what you know is right."

William Sherlach, husband of school psychologist Mary Sherlach, who was gunned down by Lanza, read the letter that was going to lawmakers.

The letter says individuals will be able to continue purchasing large-capacity clips after Connecticut bans them and there will be no way to determine which are bought after they are illegal here.

"How can we not remove large capacity magazines from Connecticut if we know that it might save even one more child or teacher or parent," the letter reads.

The four caucuses started around 12:30 p.m. and continued through the afternoon with the leadership then holding a press conference. The leaders have agreed on various concepts with much of it in legislative language. The hope is to call for a vote on Wednesday.

The families want an up or down vote on the high-capacity magazines. There will be no separate votes on the individual components.

Malloy released a statement today on the letter to lawmakers.

"I have been clear for weeks that a ban on the possession and sale of high capacity magazines is an important part of our effort to prevent gun violence - simply banning their sale moving forward would not be an effective solution. This morning, we heard from victims' families on that very point. They've asked for an up or down vote on that provision and, whether it's in the larger bill or as an amendment, the families, and every resident of our state, deserve a vote. We know this is an issue that has bipartisan support, including from Senate Minority Leader John McKinney. We cannot lose sight of our ultimate goal - improving public safety for all of our residents, including our children," Malloy said.

Lawmakers said the bill would also establish the offense of illegal possession of ammunition; require applicants for a temporary permit to carry a pistol or revolver to apply in town of their residence.